Entire industries wiped out or transformed by the internet (author looks fondly at antique Encarta CD on the windowsill), a trend that appears set to continue as the internet’s baby brother, the aptly named ‘Internet of Things,’ grows to maturity and more of the items we use daily become connected.
That’s beginning to change, however, with a host of start-ups recently starting to push the boundaries of what is achievable with a suitcase, and the tech getting cheap enough for dominant players like Samsonite to start jumping on board. RFID, Bluetooth, and GPS are not new by today’s standards, but this suite of technologies is finally starting to play an active role in an industry that is ripe for disrupting. The humble suitcase.
The latest generation of smart luggage, baggage tags, and the apps used to track and control them, signal the beginnings of rapid change for the way we interact with our bags and the way airlines use technologies like RFID to handle and track luggage. Below are a few of the current standouts.